Durban climate talks 'roadmap' held up by India

Source: The Guardian

A European plan to unblock UN climate talks with a new global treaty is being held up by India and some developing countries who feared it would take too long to negotiate and lead to lweaker pledges by wealthy countries.

The "Durban roadmap" came to the fore on Sunday night during the climate talks because the first phase of the Kyoto protocol treaty will expire next year, with several rich countries refusing to commit to further emission cuts and deadlines.

The EU compromise proposal offers to preserve the Kyoto protocol with a legally binding parallel treaty which would force all countries to cut emissions, but at different speeds and timescales.

Europe and the South African chair of the talks are thought to have persuaded the 42-strong Alliance of Small Island States coalition and the 48 least developed countries to back the EU. "China is sending signals of flexibility, Indonesia, South Africa, and Brazil are sympathetic but India is still saying the current treaty is a red line," said an EU source.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/04/durban-climate-talks-eu-india